Odd-Row Anhydrous Application

Odd-Row Anhydrous Application FERTILIZER APPLICATION Fertilizer Application (58f) 15-3-23 You can save time and fuel by knifing anhydrous ammonia into every other row, according to John Sawyer, agronomist at the University of Illinois' Brownstown Research Center. In comparison plots, he's produced identical corn yields by side-dressing equal amounts of anhydrous in 30 and 60-in. spacings in conventional, minimum and ridge-till systems. Rather than run down the center of every row, he skips every other row so knives are spaced 60 in. Sawyer points out that corn rows are still within 15 in. of the ammonia strip. In tests, he applied 200 lbs. of anhydrous per acre in both the every-row and skip-row applications. Fuel savings show up in lower horse-power requirements for pulling fewer knives. Sawyer also tested pre-plant applications in 60 versus 30-in. spacings. Yields were nearly equal last year, but Sawyer plans to test preplant wide-row application again this year before recommending it. Key to success in reducing the number of knives is careful applicator calibration when switching to the skip-row system, which applies more nitrogen per knife. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, John Sawyer, University of Illinois, Brownstown Research Center, Rt. 2, Box 36A, Brownstown, Ill. 62418 (ph 618 427-5239).

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